Charges by U.S. derivatives regulator indicate it plans to keep treating virtual currencies as commodities

WASHINGTON—The top U.S. derivatives regulator brought charges in three cases involving virtual currencies on Thursday, alleging that defendants fraudulently solicited customers and violated other commodity laws and regulations.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission cases fit the template of the agency’s usual enforcement cases, evidence it plans to continue treating virtual currencies as commodities. The cases are the first to be brought since the commission allowed the launch of bitcoin futures contracts last month, a...